Indoor speedway is partnership’s second in the Las Vegas Valley

By Buck Wargo

Friday, Dec. 18, 2009 | 3 a.m.

The recession has forced a lot of Las Vegas businesses to place expansion plans on hold, but one company hasn’t let the economy stop it in its tracks.

Pole Position Raceway has opened its second indoor speedway, at 7350 Prairie Falcon Road near Tenaya Way and Lake Mead Boulevard, catering to locals who don’t like to fight traffic near the Strip.

The company’s original location, on Arville Street near the Palms, opened in December 2007.

The new western Las Vegas track uses electric race karts that reach speeds of 45 mph and is the fifth speedway opened by the ownership group that includes NASCAR champion Kurt Busch, Supercross champions Jeremy McGrath and Chad Reed and ESPN racing reporter Jamie Little. Two tracks are operating in Southern California and the other is in Oklahoma City.

The group wasn’t deterred by the recession: When it opened its Arville speedway in December 2007, the economy was already slowing and that facility has done well, said Brad Mark, the managing partner. Pole Position has been targeting tourists by running shuttles on the Strip, but it sees a chance to increase business with locals.

“The one thing I know about living here 20 years is that us locals sometimes don’t like to go in that corridor (near the Strip) even if it is something they like to do,” Mark said. “They don’t want to fight tourists and go through all that traffic. That was our motivation and has given us an opportunity to expand.”

A recession can be the best time to expand because the lease rate for the 50,000-square-foot warehouse is lower than it would have been during the boom times, Mark said. In addition, the cost of remodeling the facility was much less because construction companies are eager to work, he said.

Mark said he doesn’t rule out adding a third speedway someday, possibly in the Henderson area to serve the southeast valley who don’t want to drive to the Arville Street or western Las Vegas location.

The median age of those who use the speedway is 31, but it caters to all age groups, from 8 to 80, Mark said. The regular cost is $20 per race, and races last about 10 minutes with 10 racers at a time going head to head in what Mark said is a safe but extreme sport.

“Money is very important to people right now, more so than it was two years ago,” Mark said. “I think it provides good value for the entertainment. I think that has allowed us to be successful.”